A strong fancy for a Chester handicap tomorrow and a big outsider at York
Flat season 2022: bets 46 & 47
It’s time for me to put on my betting boots for a horse that I fancy strongly at Chester tomorrow. There were no ante post odds on the race, so I have had to be patient and wait until now to put up the four-year-old gelding who is on a lovely handicap mark.
TITAN ROCK went into my horse tracker as a potential future bet after his excellent run at Glorious Goodwood last month, when he had a “car park” draw in the World Pool Handicap over 7 furlongs.
Drawn out in stall 19, he was forced to race wide but finished well to be beaten less than five lengths by the winner, Lyndon B. The second and fourth in that race have franked the form by winning since.
Crucially, Titan Rock has good course form at Chester from this meeting last year, and both the ground and the distance look perfect for him too.
Jason Hart, his regular pilot, is a much-underrated jockey. Everything looks right for a big run in the Abacus Securities 20-Year Anniversary Handicap over 7½ furlongs (3.40pm).
As always at Chester, you need luck in running but I am going to go win only this time because he ticks all the boxes. Take the 7/1 offered by William Hill.
York has served up some wonderful racing this week and it remains one of my favourite tracks. The Sky Bet Ebor is one of my favourite handicaps on the flat too. I am pleased to say all the three horses that I have put up for the race over the past month or so have been declared and they all go there with a decent shout in a fiercely-competitive contest.
I was delighted to see Blue For You land a nice winner for this newsletter – put up at 14-1 – when he won the Clipper Logistics Handicap on Thursday, after being backed into 11/2 favourite. With a clear run, he would have won comfortably.
His draw in stall one was an added bonus so I went in again to back him before the off. In the Ebor, however, high numbers in the draw have fared better than low numbers in recent years.
My second bet this weekend is a real outsider in a hugely open sprint handicap. These days GULLIVER puts in more moderate runs than excellent ones and it may be that he is better on softer ground. He is probably drawn on the slower side of the track too.
But despite these negatives, his seasonal debut at York in May, when he came third to Asjad, showed both that he retains ability and that he can handle the sprint track on the Knavesmire.
At 33-1, I am going to dabble each way, six places, with bet365 in the York 4.10pm race tomorrow.
As regular readers of this newsletter know, I think Caradoc is a much better horse than he has shown so far. He is well capable of landing the York 5.20pm race tomorrow off his current mark. But I can’t bring myself to put him up as a bet for a third time this season, so it’s a watching brief tomorrow.
As always, if you are enjoying these newsletters, please recommend them to a friend.
One for the horse tracker
King of Stars put up a tremendous performance in the opening sprint handicap at York on Wednesday. Drawn in stall 22, probably the worst berth, he showed fabulous early speed to lead the big field. However, he drifted across the course and was eventually beaten in a photo by the well-drawn Bergerac. If King of Stars gets a better draw, he can win next time out, ideally over 5 furlongs, even though he will inevitably go up a few pounds in the ratings for this top run.
Pending:
2 points win Titan Rock at 7/1 for the Abacus Securities 20-Year Anniversary Handicap.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 18-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each Euchen Glen at 16-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, ¼ odds, 4 places
1 point each way Ever Present at 16-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, 1/5 odds, 5 places with Sky Bet, NRNB.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 for the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap, with bet365, 1/5 odds, 6 places.
Settled:
1 point each way Arcadian Sunrise Cup at 16-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. 4th. + 3 points.
1 point each way Morph Speed at 25-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Auditor at 16-1 in the TRU7 Handicap, 1/4 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Moss Gill at 12-1 in the Temple Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Caradoc at 11-1 the Cazoo Handicap, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Westover at 20-1 in the Cazoo Derby,, 1/5 odds, 3 places. 3rd. + 3 points.
1 point each way Changingoftheguard at 9-1in the Cazoo Derby, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each Moneista at 16-1 in the King’s Stand Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rock Eagle at 20-1 in the Ascot Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Raymond Tusk at 33-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 14-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. 1st. + 16.8 points.
1 point each way Aratus at 40-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Symbolize at 18-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, 1/5 odds, 8 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rosemary and Thyme at 40-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Princess Zoe at 13/2 for the Ascot Gold Cup, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 25-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. .Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Dance Fever at 20-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Stay Well at 16-1 in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Minzaal at 14-1 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Double or Bubble at 14-1 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Popmaster at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, 1/5 odds, 7 places. 2nd. + 5.6 points.
1 point each way Calling the Wind at 14-1 in the Queen Alexandra Stakes, 1/5 odds, 4 places. 3rd but Rule 4 deduction. + 0.81 points.
1 point each way Onesmoothoperator at 13/2for the Northumberland Plate, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Primo Bacio at 33-1 for the Falmouth Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 16-1 for the Bunbury Cup 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ropey Guest at 25-1 for the Bunbury Cup, 1/4 odds, 4 places. 2nd. + 5.25 points.
2 points win Intellogent at 8-1 for the John Smith’s Cup. 3rd. – 2 points.
2 points win Tactical at 12-1 for the International Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2 points win Air to Air at 20-1 for the International Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ropey Guest at 16-1 for the International Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Caradoc at 12-1 for the Coral Chesterfield Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Hydroplane at 10-1 for the Coral Goodwood Handicap, 1/4 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Montassib at 10-1 for the Coral Golden Mile, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Non Runner. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ouzo at 16-1 for the Coral Golden Mile, 1/5 odds, 6 places. 4th + 2.2 points
1 point each way Acklam Express at 15/2 for the Qatar King George Stakes, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Inver Park at 16-1 for the Coral Stewards Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Summerghand at 20-1 for the Coral Stewards Cup, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Mokaatil at 11-1 for the Stewards Cup Sprint, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Copper Knight at 25-1 for the Sky Bet and Symphony Group Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Cruyff Turn at 16-1 for the Clipper Logistics handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Blue for You at 14-1 for the Clipper Logistics handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. 1st. + 17.5 points.
2022 Flat season running total: - 12.84 points.
2021-2 jumps season + 77.95 points.
My gambling record for the seven years: I have made a profit in 12 of the past 13 seasons. To a 1 point level stake over this period, I have made a profit of 460 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a "point" is your chosen regular stake).